Historic steam locomotive to pay a visit to Cardiff before Gwili Railway display
One of the most historic Welsh steam locomotives is to pay a visit to Cardiff before going on temporary display at the Gwili Railway in Carmarthen.
James Buckley, of the Gwili Railway-based Gwili Vintage Carriage Group (GVCG), said it was very appropriate that the engine would be returning 'home' to Cardiff for a brief stop on its latest journey.
Mr Buckley said: "The engine will be picked up from Llangollen Railway on the morning of Thursday 10th April. It will be loaded on a lorry and will then head down to Cardiff for storage in a secure location overnight.
Mr Buckley said: "The engine will be picked up from Llangollen Railway on the morning of Thursday 10th April. It will be loaded on a lorry and will then head down to Cardiff for storage in a secure location overnight.
"The idea, then, is to make the engine is then available for three to four hours on Friday, April 11, for some publicity shots in and around Cardiff. The main desire is to get it down to the old Coal Exchange in Cardiff Bay to hopefully draw attention to Cardiff Civic Trust plans for the exchange.
"Failing that, the old TVR headquarters and Cardiff Central railway station are possible other photo opportunities for fans of old steam locomotives.
"Failing that, the old TVR headquarters and Cardiff Central railway station are possible other photo opportunities for fans of old steam locomotives.
"The engine then heads off to the Gwili for display for six months."
The cosmetic restoration of Taff Vale Railway ‘O1’ class 0-6-2T No. 28, the last surviving Welsh-built standard gauge steam locomotive, has gone ahead thanks to a unique three-way partnership between the National Railway Museum, and two of Wales’s leading standard gauge preserved railways.
The Gwili Railway-based Gwili Vintage Carriage Group (GVCG), and the Llangollen Railway have agreed to work together to cosmetically restore the locomotive to showroom condition and display it with the only Welsh-built standard gauge railway carriage to survive into preservation, Taff Vale Railway Brake Third No. 220.
James Buckley, of the GVCG, explained: “As custodians of No. 220, this project reflects a long-held aspiration to display the carriage within an appropriate context, and uniting it with the sole-surviving Welsh-built standard gauge steam locomotive in South Wales is a fantastic proposition.
“This project has three major benefits in that we will move a step closer to creating a train that consists solely of Welsh rolling stock; the Llangollen Railway will get to re-assemble No. 28, and the locomotive will be out on public display for the first time in over two decades. We have been working closely with both the Llangollen Railway and the National Railway Museum to achieve this aim.”
An appeal for £10,000 to complete the cosmetic restoration and transport the locomotive to the Gwili Railway was launched by the GVCG on behalf of the other two partners.
Neil Evans, from Llangollen Railway, said: “Llangollen Railway’s workshop is the largest standard gauge steam loco workshop in Wales, so we’re very happy to be involved with the project.”
Anthony Coulls, of the National Railway Museum, said: “It has long been our ambition at the National Railway Museum to get No. 28 looking in tip-top condition and it’s great to have such enthusiastic partners in Wales to help us achieve this aim. Although Wales is well-known for its narrow-gauge lines, perhaps No. 28 will help remind everyone of Wales’ standard gauge railway heritage; the coal hauled by this engine helped to develop Britain.”
Cheques in support of the restoration fund should be sent with a covering letter to:
Gwili Vintage Carriage Group c/o
Gwili Steam Railway
Bronwydd Arms Station
Carmarthen
SA33 6HT
Or online via:
http://gvcg.co.uk/donations/
Gift Aid forms will be sent to everyone who donates.
TVR No.28 Historical note
Taff Vale Railway ‘O1’ class 0-6-2 No. 28 was built in 1897 at West Yard Works, Cardiff to a design by Tom Hurry Riches. It was designed to pull passengers and freight on lines in the South Wales valleys and Cardiff docks, and represents one of a series of similar locomotive types that would influence the development of the GWR’s 56xx class 0-6-2T.
No. 28 was withdrawn from mainline service by the GWR in 1926. The locomotive saw further use with the Army and the National Coal Board, which enabled it to survive into preservation, becoming a part of the National Collection in 1960.
Briefly returned to working order in Caerphilly in the 1980s, No. 28 was moved to the Dean Forest Railway in Gloucestershire after the group looking after it disbanded. It is currently stored at the Llangollen Railway in a dismantled state awaiting restoration, initially to non-operational condition.
Photos:
No. 28 at Llangollen with 'Gordon' nameplate from its days on the Longmoor Military Railway. The Gwili Vintage Carriage Group (GVCG) and Llangollen Railway representatives involved in the project are from L-R: Dewi Jones (GVCG); Neil Evans (Llangollen Railway); James Buckley (GVCG) and Chris Beet (National Railway Museum). Photograph attributable to National Railway Museum.
No. 28 during its last period of operation in Taff Vale Railway Company livery. National Railway Museum.
The cosmetic restoration of Taff Vale Railway ‘O1’ class 0-6-2T No. 28, the last surviving Welsh-built standard gauge steam locomotive, has gone ahead thanks to a unique three-way partnership between the National Railway Museum, and two of Wales’s leading standard gauge preserved railways.
The Gwili Railway-based Gwili Vintage Carriage Group (GVCG), and the Llangollen Railway have agreed to work together to cosmetically restore the locomotive to showroom condition and display it with the only Welsh-built standard gauge railway carriage to survive into preservation, Taff Vale Railway Brake Third No. 220.
James Buckley, of the GVCG, explained: “As custodians of No. 220, this project reflects a long-held aspiration to display the carriage within an appropriate context, and uniting it with the sole-surviving Welsh-built standard gauge steam locomotive in South Wales is a fantastic proposition.
“This project has three major benefits in that we will move a step closer to creating a train that consists solely of Welsh rolling stock; the Llangollen Railway will get to re-assemble No. 28, and the locomotive will be out on public display for the first time in over two decades. We have been working closely with both the Llangollen Railway and the National Railway Museum to achieve this aim.”
An appeal for £10,000 to complete the cosmetic restoration and transport the locomotive to the Gwili Railway was launched by the GVCG on behalf of the other two partners.
Neil Evans, from Llangollen Railway, said: “Llangollen Railway’s workshop is the largest standard gauge steam loco workshop in Wales, so we’re very happy to be involved with the project.”
Anthony Coulls, of the National Railway Museum, said: “It has long been our ambition at the National Railway Museum to get No. 28 looking in tip-top condition and it’s great to have such enthusiastic partners in Wales to help us achieve this aim. Although Wales is well-known for its narrow-gauge lines, perhaps No. 28 will help remind everyone of Wales’ standard gauge railway heritage; the coal hauled by this engine helped to develop Britain.”
Cheques in support of the restoration fund should be sent with a covering letter to:
Gwili Vintage Carriage Group c/o
Gwili Steam Railway
Bronwydd Arms Station
Carmarthen
SA33 6HT
Or online via:
http://gvcg.co.uk/donations/
Gift Aid forms will be sent to everyone who donates.
TVR No.28 Historical note
Taff Vale Railway ‘O1’ class 0-6-2 No. 28 was built in 1897 at West Yard Works, Cardiff to a design by Tom Hurry Riches. It was designed to pull passengers and freight on lines in the South Wales valleys and Cardiff docks, and represents one of a series of similar locomotive types that would influence the development of the GWR’s 56xx class 0-6-2T.
No. 28 was withdrawn from mainline service by the GWR in 1926. The locomotive saw further use with the Army and the National Coal Board, which enabled it to survive into preservation, becoming a part of the National Collection in 1960.
Briefly returned to working order in Caerphilly in the 1980s, No. 28 was moved to the Dean Forest Railway in Gloucestershire after the group looking after it disbanded. It is currently stored at the Llangollen Railway in a dismantled state awaiting restoration, initially to non-operational condition.
Photos:
No. 28 at Llangollen with 'Gordon' nameplate from its days on the Longmoor Military Railway. The Gwili Vintage Carriage Group (GVCG) and Llangollen Railway representatives involved in the project are from L-R: Dewi Jones (GVCG); Neil Evans (Llangollen Railway); James Buckley (GVCG) and Chris Beet (National Railway Museum). Photograph attributable to National Railway Museum.
No. 28 during its last period of operation in Taff Vale Railway Company livery. National Railway Museum.
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